Buckle.



PATENTED AUG. 4, 1908. R. O'NEILL, J3. BUCKLE.

APPLICATION FILED JAE. 21, 1908.

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RICHARD ONEILL, m, or NEWARI NEW TIERSEY.

BUCKLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Aug. 4, 1908.

Application filed January 21, 1908. Serial No. $11,889.

To all whom i t may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD ONEILL, Jr., a citizenof the United States,residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Buckles; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to figuresof reference marked thereon, which form'a part of this specification.

This invention relates to an improved belt clasp or buckle which can beused on waist belts or as a collar clasp, or any similar position wherean encircling band is adjustably fastened end to end.

This device provides for a belt without perforations, such as are usedwhen a buckle is employed, and the belt can be tightened or loosenedwithout removing it from the person '50 that when occasion requires, anadjustment of the belt can take place without attracting unnecessaryattention. The clasp in this case'is of the kind that is normally heldlocked by the strain on the belt itself.

The invent-ion is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Fiure 1 is a perspective view of a belt rovided with my improved clasp orbuc le. Fig. 2 is a section of the clasp, and Fig. 3 is a perspectiveview of the clasp showing the back of it.

The illustration shows a belt having a body portion 10 of any of theusual materials employed, and on one end of the belt is a memer 11forming a hook, preferably, but it can be made to engage in any of theother usual ways with the other member of the clasping device to behereinafter described. The engaging member 11 has any suitable clasp 12to-secure it to the end of the body portion 10. The free end 13 of thebody portion 10 is the end that is used for the adjusting of the belt,and it passes through a clasp which consists ofa plate 14 which can besuitably figured or ornamented, but which is preferably madesubstantially U-shaped, thus acting to shield the free end of theswinging plate, to be described hereinaftcr, from accidental opening orswinging. A staple 15 extends across the back of the clasp and is theelement that is engaged by the hook 11. On the reverse sideand at theopen end of the substantially l to the front of the buckle, ant

U-shaped portion of the clasp is a bridge 16 which has a bottom 17,which bridge and staple 15 form a channel through which passes the freeend 13 of the body portion of the belt 10, and the clasp is free toslide on the body portion when it is not positively locked. 'lhe bottomportion 17 of the bridge 16 is preferably provided with one end, 18,slight y turned up to form a ridge, and this engages one side of thebelt 10.

Pivoted as at 20, in the ends of the bridge 16, is a swinging plate 19which, with its right-angled portion 21, forms a clasping plate, and ithas a free end 22 provided for its manual manipulation. It will beevident the position shown in Fig. 2, the clasp is locked on the belt sothat there is no slipping.

When the end 22 is swung out however, the pressure is taken from the end21 and the elt is free to slip through its channel in the clasp and tobe adjusted thereon. This clasping plate is on the exterior of the claspto provi e a ready means for adjustment when the belt is on the wearer,and the belt can be taken up and let out, which is a decided advantage,as it saves time and annoyance.

The construction of the buckle with the clasping plate inside the frame,when in looking position, saves the free end of the swin ing plate fromaccidental engagement wit rojections, and thus prevents accidentaloosening of the belt.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:-

1.. A clasp comprising a plate having an opening in its face and havinga channel in the back thereof for the passa e of the free end of a belt,and a swinging clasp tached to the first mentioned plate raving aportion for grasping the belt 111 its channel and having a free end forits manual mani )ulation, the free end of the swinging plate 0- ingwithin the said first mentioned plate when in its locked position,whereby it is shielded from accidental opening.

2. A clasp comprising a substantially U- shaped plate having a bridge onthe back of its open end, a clasping plate pivoted in the open end andhaving a free end for its manual manipulation and a r ght-angled portionfor clamping a belt on the bridge, the free end of the c asping platebeing normally within the U-shaped plate, the clasping lplate swingingmeans for delate atplate and guiding the free'end of a belt be tween 1tand the late. p In testnnony, hat I claim the fore oing,-

I have hereunto set my hand this 20th day of January 1908.

tachably securing the clasp to the of the belt. 3. A clasp comprising asubstantially U shaped plate having a bridge on the back of 5 its openend, a clasping late swinging in the ends of the bridge, the c as ingplate having a-free end to swing on the rent of the clasp and within andout of the U-shaped plate and having a right-angled port-ion to clasp abelt 10 on the bridge, and a staple on the bac of the other end- IRICHARD OXEILL, JR.

'Witnesses:

